Bahlna Restaurant — Restaurant in Rotterdam

After living in Rotterdam for 3 years, I can confidently say this is one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in the city. Afwerki, the owner, is hands down the kindest and most welcoming restaurant host I’ve ever met. From the moment we walked in, he made us feel at home, happily explaining the dishes, and giving thoughtful recommendations.

The food was absolutely amazing. Packed with flavor, super fresh, and you can really tell it’s made with love and authenticity. You don’t come across this kind of quality often... especially at such a fair price. The portions were generous and every bite was delicious.

It’s just such a unique experience. If you’re looking to try something different in Rotterdam that not a lot of people have had, this place should be it.

Both my friend and I left with big smiles and full stomachs. The food, the atmosphere, the service, and above all the people deserve way more than...

I ate here for three nights in a row while attending Twitchcon 2025, and I'll eat there again if it's hosted in Rotterdam again. The food is extremely cheap and delicious. It's rare I have three different dishes from a restaurant and struggle to decide which one of them was the best. It's a tiny, highly atmospheric hole-in-the-wall place where the owner speaks to every customer like they're family. My one tiny complaint is that it has a menu with incomplete or erroneous English translations, but when you can just ask the owner what everything is and get his recommendations, that hardly an issue. It inspired me to try making Ethiopian food at home, so if that's not a convincing argument that it's good, nothing else will be. Hope to see them...

My family and I went to this restaurant to try traditional african food for the first time and this restaurant left us with the best possible impression. The second you step in you notice the cozy and warm atmosphere, the whole place is beautifullly decorated and african music is playing in the background. The man who served us was very welcoming and friendly and took his time explaining us the different types of food and drinks and helped us choose. Needless to say, the food came out piping hot and super fresh, it was absolutely delicious, with lots of flavors that combined perfectly. I would certainly highly recommend this place to anyone who lives or passes by Rotterdam....